Returnal is a third-person roguelike shooter following pilot Selene as she crash-lands on a hostile alien planet that resets and reshapes itself each time she dies. Fast, precise gunplay combines with bullet-hell style enemy patterns, demanding sharp reflexes across procedurally arranged rooms and biomes.

Runs are built from randomized item and weapon drops, so each attempt plays out differently even as Selene slowly uncovers the planet's unsettling secrets. Permadeath raises the stakes of every encounter, rewarding players who can adapt on the fly and learn from repeated attempts.